Device



Dec. -18, 1928. Re. 17,167

f W. H. WELCH RIM CONTRACTING DEVICE n l Original Filed June 2,0, 1923 2Sheets-Sheet 1 1 f@ i Z 5/ 26 -Q7 D1s,192s. Re. 17,167

W. H. WELCH RIM CONTRACTING DEVICE Original Filed June 20, 1923 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Reissaed Dee. 1s, 192s.

` N n gRe17,11l UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE- WALTER HENRY Wemmel'BRISTOL, `iiNefL'ANiz.

m-ooNTnac'rG DEVICE.

l yoriginal Nq. 1,533,073, dated april 7, '1925, serial Na. 646,633,:nea :une 20,1923.` Application vmr reissue led kMay 26, 1925. SerialNc. 33,061.

This invention is for improvements in or` relating to devicesfor'contracting the tirecarrying rims of lthe "wheels of motor and f cother vehicles, and has l`for its object to provide an improvedconstruction of device which can be used with any ofthe known andsecondly, that they have gripped the kinds of detachable split rims. l y

v As is well known, the operation of removing a tire from as lit'rimiseiectedby dis'- placing1 the two en s of the rim and bringlng one enmovement. `Devices which has been used for this purpose hithertohavebeen disadvantageous in two respects, firstly that they havegrippedboth edges of the rim, the clampingmember pivots extendingthrough the rim,

rimv 'at points more or less distant fromthe cut inthe rim. "Thedisadvantage of therst feature mentioned is that the shape and situationoil the '"ipping-devices'virtually 1ncreases the raial thickness'of`lthe rim, and

thereby rendersfit necessaryfto strain ittoa greater extent than vwould`be 'necessary merely to `hringone end' of` the rim clear of the otherin a radial direction.` The disadvantage of` the second feature isthatwhen the gripy ing devices are spaced away from the cut 1n the rim, therim -is strained over only al `portion of its circumferential` length,`.with

`the result that this portion is strained to ak greaterr extent thanwould be necessary if the strain were `distributed overthe whole lengthofthe rim.

`The ,presentinvention has for its objecttok rovide a yrim-contractingydevice `infwhich ththese difliculties are-avoided." x

According to this invention a 'rim-contracty device comprisesthe-combination of a` 40` pair of gripping devices adapted tobegsecuredy ron one edgle of therim and' to extend away t erefrorn. oneyat eachl side of the cut in the-rim, and in close proximity toit,

. and k rigid guiding means wherebyyone griplaterally I ping-device canbe caused "to 'travel in a su f- 'y stantially circular path` around theotherin a planey parallel to thatofthe rim, forgthe j purpose ofcontracting they rim.`

` Preferably the gripping-devices aforesaid are connected to therby'alink which pivotally engages eac of them, and which" may? beprovided-with an extensiony to constitute theoperating lever for thedevice.

Insome instances itis ydesirable tok'make inside the other by aycircumferentialwith the gripping-devices aforesaid may in y one case beconstituted by a pin in a slot` A ccordlng to another feature ofrthisinvention, the slot for fone gripping-device maybe shaped' other thanconcentrically with the pivotall axis `on the other gripping-device, sor that movement of the link 1n such a manner as to traverse. the pinalong the slot-causes the desired expansion of the rim. Other featuresof the invention 'will bedescribed with. n

reference to a specific construction which.y

will now be given by way of example of this lnvention.

{In the accompanying drawings which illusc trate one embodiment ofthis'invention:

, 'Figuresjl and 2 are side elevations showing the deviceas applied to arim, intwo dif- `ferent positions;

Fig. 3 is an endrview partly `in section to show themethodof mountingthegripping.-

devices or clamps Fig. 4 isv a perspective view with parts broken awayto show the constructionv of the complete device 1 f Fig. 5 is a Viewsimilar l of a modi-y y fied construction, and? Fig. 6 is a view showingthe parts of Fig. 5

in a. slightly diilerent'position. y

Like reference characters. indicate like parts throughout 'the drawings.

`Thegripping-devices 10 or clamps. which 'are usedto,l grip ther-im,-arein the form of hooks, aslshown most clearly inFigure 3,

being shaped as at 11 tohook over vtheedgc yof ya.detachablev rim v1.2.l Theseghooks can bereadilyfengaged with the edgeof the rim lgyasit'is'necessary to effect only a slight displacement, if any, ofthe-.sideyofthe tire'4 away Vfrom-the rim.. In Vthe portion `13 of" l I the clamp,which corresponds tothe shank of anfordinarywhook, thereis mounted aset-'l screw or clamping-screwy 14'whi`chis`in line with la portion. vof'theinner surface of the hook 11,'which portion is directed morefor lessoutwards awav from the rim towards :the

`closed side ofthe hook. Withthisconstruction and. arrangementl of theparts, the screwing-in ofthe .clamping-screw 14- gripsl the edge ofthe1rim`12 between itand ythe-hook l1 f `and causes ay relative wedgingmovement, p n

pinsl-l, 17, The areas offcontact orbearing where thewhqokis,drawnfnrther onto the rim an theieby provides a very secure grip on it.A'

This clamp or gri pin -member 10 is provided With a pin 15I)'vihi{hJthe; lane Qtthe 'rim when thelamois Se,- cur portioned that its radialthickness when securedl upolrthe rinris assmalhaspossible,

purpose hereinafter set, forth. j, A Second clamp, `indicativi:generallybythe reierence 16, is similar-to the'clainp 10, and thesgtwo .clampsaremountedin a ban or link 18,. theclamp 16 having,its pin ,17 jour,-

nailed-in. a round holeiinthishar, andthe .10 -havingits .pin 15`journaled in afslot 19; ey areseciiredinthis link-by,

of,mits29 21, Vscrewed.onto the respective airfares: betweemthe clampsand'link. are Suoiontly extendedito maintain. the operativorelatiomnofltheY parts andthe,` pins are `profoltmlkly; So rotatablymounted-in thelink 'shapodzas toiprovidef an. adequate, bearing area ina plane parallel to thtifthe rim so as toiisuraithetwo clampsgbeing`maintained saine)` plano; when theclinl isiy moved. caring area, aswill beseenfrom .Figum` 3, ,is constituted. by, thev shoulders on ,theclams-surrounding. the pins.

The slot 19 in the construutioniillustrated ifs-arranged with its length,lying iii-,the `line vision is madeffor. maintaining the pin- 15 atthat end of itsslot l9fnearest tojthepin 17.

As illustrated inA Eigure4 4, the pin-.lois tree to slide inthoslotrli), amdfthoreisprovided lupin 23 ywhiehncan slidein ani axialbore in Jtholink 18,- Thispin 22S-hasahead 22 wherebyuitio'gags the-pin15, y.and a compression spring 24'operates endwise onthe-p1n23ftopfessrtheipin `15 towards ,that end` @inthe slot 19wllichw1s nearesbthedamp.16.- 1* y@nef end-of the link 18is extended to `receivoon'operatinghandle.; conveniently-.this

extension-p' 26 is cylindrical inshapejto receive-a tu .nier-.handle 2@Ot any1-,desired veaferably, this handle. 26 z is ,of .sinibllfkuotiomis adopted in order tofprmitthe -yvhohdaviceito be dissembledand packedmtos Suitable Case havinga Small v overall lengthgavhilsttnt the sametime provodingan -length of lever foruoperatinggthe entends 'laterallysubstantially parallel with theazisof rotay iInnielediately7 adjaentthe. cut. tion of the rim, and in a direction away from' thereon.Thewholefclam'p, is sloHprg-Mv are ajjigged to the rim, o neon,eachlside of the out.thereinnas` Showminfigure 1, the ends of the rimbeingindicated diagram'matioally at 28, 29, and the cut between the ends at30. Pfrably one 'of the clamps is arranged Thus, for example, the clamp16 is first fixed in place closelqihe .c ut,l 3Q in the rim, andtheother clamtpdwhichis pressed towards the left in Figure 1, by the spring24, is gripped onto thenrirn, vIfitis necessary to break the j int inAthe.A rimforany purpose, this is rea, ily eifectedby insertingachiseldirectly in the jointl and leyeringthe ends. apart j this endwise,ino-vement is permitted rWithout disturbing,the Qlynpsbythe slot 19. Theoperating handle is thenswung around SO, as-to `carry qnefcla |.inasnbsta,ntially circular path around irtlllie; axis of; thegother, asshown in Eigure; 2, and., this: movement separates the twplendsoithe rm,firstly bya movement substantially radially` ofthe rim and then by acircumferential movement, zso thatthey are s overlapped, and the. rimiscontracted to such an extant thatl the. tire canl be.readilyremoved'from it, It will be, appreciated that the ofthe;clanipsinea'sured radially ofthe rim has to be.,kept to a minimum,Asince 011B iscarriedr acr y ,theadial line, of the Otlloni. Moreover,odia ,upper surface of the clampsis rounded,,as` shown atll in Figure 1in ,order .to clear. .the` lower-` corner 32. lIt is found in practice,however, that the said radial'depth thsclamps can be keptso small that,the, movement` required -to take one .end ,of the, rim clearA oftheother end is suicient alsoto, plearftlie clamps. Thisisot'gralpraoticalimportance, asit insures that thorim ,is strained aS littleas possible in contractingE it, .an'd this ,beneficial eliect isfurthcmephanced by ,the situation of the two clampsclosely. to onevanother, `since practilGally the/.wholeCircumfereIit-ial'length of therim `is utilize when strainingr 1t.

Inst-Blad ofralranging, the slot, witlt. its

Vlength inthelinejoining the axes of the lilik..18.ca'1ises.thevmovement of the. pin 15 inthe slot ,by af 4Cain-like Yor wedgingiaction which is arranged to separate the two ends of the rim to give apreliminary opening movexnenttothe iriniuff sotdesired.; Thisconstrucbionisdlliistrated -infF larid` (i, whereofl .Fig 5 Hshows the.rim-tool when .first applied the, riinand Eig' showsthe/ saine parts` aer an initial movement has been imparted tothelnkiol; thenurpese 0fOpeningt le sur 1n ,.theinl.,

l Referringto 5 'the Nclamping membeiSiare si ar to those previouslydescribed, butthe linkr 3 5 is provided with a SlotQiWhiph is inclinedto the line joining the centers of the pins 37, 38 on the clamps. The

pin 38 engages withthis slot, and there isA provided acompression sprin39 operative through a plunger 40. on the pin 38 to retain it normallyatthat end ofthe slot 36 which is' nearest to the pin 37. The inclinationaforesaid of the slot 36 is such that whenthe link 35 yis swung aboutthe pin 37 in *the* direction for contracting the rim, thel side of theslot exerts a cam-like'or Wedging elect on the pin 38 causing it to moveaway from the pin 37. The position of, the parts when,l the twopinshavey been thus separated is ill-us- `trated in Figure 6; since rtheclamping de-v vices 33, 34`areL secured on the respective ends oftherim, this separating movement of the clamping devices causes a ygaptobe opened i i between lthe two'endsof the rim and thereby facilitatesthe subsequent contraction. Thisr subsequent contraction is effected bycontinued movementof the link in thev same direction so that' theinitial opening ofthe rim is provided for automatically. Alternativeily, a second'link or'plate could be arranged ,to engage the two clamps,lying beside the link 18', andthis second Alink could have a camlike orwedging 'slot for the same purpose., .The operating lever could ink thisconstrue-yy tion be applied first to the auxiliary plate or link toprovide the expanding movement and v ik one side to the other. This.gives the special then transferred vto the second link to effect thecontraction of the rim.

It will be seen that ay characteristic feature of the rim-contractingydevice hereinbefore described lis' thatthe clamps or gripping# membersare aliixed to one edge of the rim only, as shown most clearly'in Figure3, and

'lie only `on that side of the rim, so that yno part of them extendsthrough the rim from advantage .hereinbefore vreferred to, vthat theradial movement which mustbe'imparted to one end of the rim to cleartheotlier end is reduced Ato a` minimum. the scopeof the invention,however, to `use a device as above described on `each edge ofthe rim,for example, when a large or stout rim has to .be contracted. The clampson each side of the'rim, however, are not connected to-` fgether, sothat the characteristic feature aforesaid is retained. The `clamps whenmounted'on each edgeof the rim maybe op-l` erated independently butsimultaneously, by

means of two `separate levers, one on ,each side',` koria single forkedlever may be arranged to engage with both., pairs of clamps to effecttheir operation. l y.

' I clainr:`

1. Iny arimytool, the ycombination ofsa air lof gripping devicesadaptedtovbesecurel lon e oneedge of a rim andl to eXtendaWay'later-- allytherefrom,y a pin' extending laterally Mfrom each of said 4gripping.devices, ya link having rotative engagement with one oi said It alsolies within,

one edge o a rim andto extend awa laterally therefrom, a pin extendinglateral y from each of said gripping devices, a link having rotativeengagement with one of said pins, and havingfaslot formed therein, asleeve hav-ing rotative engagement with the second yoins'ad pins, andhavingsliding engagement Hwith said slot, a compressing spring operativealong the length of the link on said sleeve and normally maintaining itat oneend of said slot and means for swinging saidy link angularly aboutsaidy pins, substantially as described. c

3. In a rim-tool, the combinationof a pair ofgripping devices adapted tobe secured on a split rimadjacent the split therein, said devices eachycomprising a pin extending laterally therefrom, and a shoulder normal tosaid pin, a linkfrotatably carrying said pins and bearing on saidshoulders, means for holding said link closely against said shouldersand means `for swinging said link' rela-l tively to saidpins,substantially as set forth. 4..In a rim tool,the combination of a pairof gripping devices adapted to be secured on a split rim adjacentthesplit therein, said devices each comprising e a pin extendin laterallytherefrom, and a shoulder norma to said pin, la link bearing onsaidshoulders and having rotative'engagementy with oneof said pins, andhavinga slot formed in it! whereof `the length is inclined to the` lineyjoining the centres of said pins,`said slotfproviding sliding engagementwith the second sok of saidpins, resilientmeans normallymaintaining'said second pin at'one end of said slot,

and means for swinging said link angularly about the rst of said pins,substantially as described. y n 5. Ina rim tool, the combination of apair of' grippingfdevices each comprising a hook-,

shaped member adaptedl to be engaged with the edge ofthe rim, a lockingscrew in said memberso positioned as to be in line' with a portion ofthe inner surface ofk the free end of the hook, which portion isdirected towards theclosed side'ofthe-hook, said devices each',

comprising a pin extending laterally therefrom, anda shoulder normaltosaid pin, a`

link rotatably carryingsaid ins and bearing e on said, shoulders, meansy or kholding" said vlink vclosely against-,said shoulders andi meansfor swinging said'link relatively to said pins,

substantiall as set forth. ,i

' f VALTER WELCH.y

